Rocking-reclining chair mechanism



Oct. 18, 1966 F. M. RE:

BOOKING-RECLINING CHAIR MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Deo. 21, 1965INVENTOR. FRANK M. RE

/ITTORNEK Oct. 18, 1966 F. M. RE: 3,279,847

ROCKING-RECLINING CHAIR MECHANI SM Filed Deo. 21, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2IIUs-nn 2 INVENTOR.

FRANK M. RE

BY//MM@ 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed DSG. 21, 1965 HUE INVENTOR.

FRANK M. RE BY Marv-rl @da A TTO/PNEY.

United States Patent Mass.

Filed Dec. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 515,358 3 Claims. (Cl. 297-89) Thisinvention relates to a rocker-recliner chair incorporating an operatingmechanism coacting with a base and a rockable body-supporting unit andan extendable leg-rest.

One object of the invention is to provide a linkage system forinterconnecting the base and body-supporting unit and leg-rest so as toallow the relative positioning of these parts and to preclude anyrocking motion of the chair in certain preselected positions ofreclination, whereby the user may employ the chair as a rocker, when theleg-rest is retracted, and may recline the body-supporting unit andextend the leg-rest to various positions.

Another object is to provide a novel four-way stop for precludingmovement of certain of the chair components relative to each other inpredetermined chair positions.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a view in side elevation of a rocking-reclining chair in theupright or sitting leg-rest retracted position, with portions of thesupporting framework having been omitted for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the linkage mechanism in theintermediate-reclined position, the chair cornponents having beenomitted for clarity; and

FlG. 3 is a view in side elevation, similar to FIG. 2 in thefully-reclined position.

The linkage mechanism shown will be understood to be one of a pair,there being one positioned at each side of the chair.

The chair, constituting the disclosed embodiment of the invention,comprises a fixed chassis 10, a body-supporting unit generally indicatedby 12 and comprising a unitary seat 14 and back-rest 16, and a rockerbase i8.

At either side of the chair, an arcuate rocker is secured to the arms ofthe chair and is rockable upon the upper planar surface of the adjacentrail of rocker base 18.

Each rocker 20 is interassociated with rocker base 18 by a doublecompression spring mechanism, generally designated by 22, in the normalplatform-rocker manner.

Body-supporting unit 12 will be understood to have a pivotal androckable relationship to rocker base 18.

A linkage mechanism, provided at each side of bodysupporting unit 12inwardly of the respective adjacent side of the chassis, is stationarilymounted on a cross bar 24 which is extendable transversely relative toand between the inner faces of rockers 20. The linkage mechanism,understandably, could be mounted upon the arms of chassis 1t).

A generally horizontally-disposed mounting plate 26 extends along thefront-to-rear dimension of the chair and is stationarily fixed by meansof an offset flange 28 to a top planar surface of cross bar 24 by screws29. Un-

derstandably, it could be mounted upon the arms of chassis 1i).

A seat plate 3i), also extending in a front-to-rear dimension of thechair, is stationarily secured to the lower edge of the adjacent siderail of seat 14 by screws 32.

Before proceeding with further recitation of the linkage mechanism, itis to be explained that a two-part, foldaway leg-supporting unit orleg-rest, generally indicated by 34 is constituted by a major leg-restelement 36 and a minor leg-rest element 38 pivotally interengaged.

Leg-rest 34 is mounted, by means of the linkage mechanism, relative tothe forward end of seat 14- for movements between a fully-retractedposition, as viewed in ICC FIG. 1, and a fully-extended position, asviewed in FIGS. 2 and 3, and intermediate positions between thepositions of FIG. l and of FIG. 2.

In said fully-retracted position, which is the fully-upright or sittingand/ or rocking position of the chair, major leg-rest element 34 will bepositioned substantially flush with the forwardly-facing vertical frontrail of seat 14, while the cooperant minor leg-rest element 38 will bepositioned so as to extend rearwardly from adjacent the lower end of themajor leg-rest element and concealed from view beneath the seat andbehind the major leg-rest element.

As will appear, when major leg-rest element 36 is elevated and advancedto any extended position, cooperant minor leg-rest element 38 is movedaccordingly therewith, it being pivotally interconnected thereto, asaforesaid` When the major leg-rest element is in fully-extendedposition, the minor leg-rest element will have moved to a positionforwardly of and in axial alignment with the major leg-rest element, asbest observed in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Leg-rest 34 is suspended relative to seat 14, by means of a linkagesystem including a pivot link 40 and a control plate 42.

Pivot link 40 is pivoted at its upper end to seat plate 30 by a pivotalconnection 44, and at its lower end to a first long link 46 at the lowerrearwardly-facing end thereof, by a pivotal connection 48.

First long link 46 is pivoted at its opposite upper end to the upper endof a lifter link 50 by a pivotal connection 52.

Control plate 42 is pivoted at its upper end to seat plate 30 by apivotal connection 54 disposed forwardly of the pivotal connection 44and is pivoted at its approximate midsection to the approximatemidsection of first long link 46 by a pivotal connection 56, and furtherhas a link-like extension 58 at its lower end pivoted to the lower endof a second long link 60 by a pivotal connection 62.

Second long link 60 is pivoted at its approximate midsection by apivotal connection 64 to the approximate midsection of lifter link 50and is pivoted at its upper end by a pivotal connection 66 to a majorleg-rest element support plate 68 fixed to and extending rearwardlyoutwardly from the rearward face of major leg-rest element 36 by screws70.

Lifter link S0 is pivoted at its lower extremity by a pivotal connection72 to the lower extremity of a primary control link 74, said primarycontrol link in turn being pivoted at its forward extremity by a pivotalconnection 76 to a minor leg-rest element support plate 78 which isfixed to the rearward or inner face of minor leg-rest element 38 byscrews 80.

Major and minor ieg-rest element support plates 68 and 78 respectivelyare articulately interlinked by a pivotal connection 81, wherewithcorresponding articulated movement between the major and minor leg-restelements is allowed.

A secondary control link 82 is pivoted at one of its ends by a pivotalconnection 84 to major leg-rest element support plate 68 and is pivotedat its opposite end by a pivotal connection 86 to primary control link74.

A retaining device in the form of a tension spring 90 has one end fixedto a pin 92 provided adjacent the forward end of seat plate 30, and itsopposite or lower end fixed to a pin 94 provided on control plate 42.

Therewith, movement of the leg-rest, in extending direction, iscontrolled and positive retraction thereof is ensured, with the springadditionally ensuring against any dropping of the leg-rest when fullyextended or when fully retracted.

A stop surface 96 on control plate 42, upon contact with a stop pin 98on first long link 46, precludes extenaardse? sion of the leg-restbeyond the desired fully-extended horizontally-disposed position.

A riser link 100 interconnects the leg-rest portion of the linkagemechanism to the body-supporting unit by means of pivot link 40 which ispivoted at its midsection to a forward portion of the riser link by apivotal connection 102. Riser link 100 rotates on a pivotal connection104 by means of which the riser link is interconnected to mounting plate26 and is rotatable relative thereto.

Any rocking movement of body-supporting unit 12 relative to base 18,while the chair is in the FIGS. 2 or 3 positions, or positionstherebetween, is precluded by means now to be described.

A generally L-shaped stop link 106 is pivoted at its upper end to therearward extremity Vof seat plate 30 by a pivotal connection 103 and ispivoted at its approximate midsection to the rearward extremity ofmounting plate 26 by a pivotal connection 110.

Stop link 106 is bifurcated at its lower end, and carries a roller 112rotatably mounted on a pin 114 extending transversely between thebifurcations.

In chair upright position of FIG. l, roller 112 is in a retracted orraised position wherefore it does not preclude rocking movements ofbody-supporting unit 12.

As the body-supporting unit is reclined, seat plate 30 is movedrearwardly thereby carrying the upper end of stop link 106 rearwardlytherewith to cause the stop link to pivot relative to mounting plate 26thereby causing the lower end of the stop link and roller 112 to swingdownwardly until the roller contacts the flat upper surface of rockerlbase 18.

Contact of roller 112 with the rocker base precludes rocking ofbody-supporting unit 12 relative to the base when in the intermediate orfully-reclined positions or positions therebetween.

As the chair is moved between the intermediate reclining FIG. 2 positionand the fully-reclined FIG. 3 position, roller 112 maintains contactwith the upper surface of the rocker base elfectively precluding rockingof the body-supporting unit.

Riser link 100, in addition to connecting the leg-rest unit to the base,also serves as a stop means to: l) preclude retraction of the leg-restwhen the chair is in the fully-reclined position; (2) limit the range ofmovement of the body-supporting unit as dictated by the fully-reclinedposition of the chair; (3) limit the range of movement of thebody-supporting unit as dictated by the fully upright or sittingposition of the chair; and (4) preclude reclination of thebody-supporting unit when the leg-rest is retracted.

These functions are fullled by primary, secondary, tertiary andquaternary stop surfaces on the riser link.

The rearwardmost end edge of riser link 100 is designated as the primarystop surface and is numbered 120. This stop surface, in the fullyreclined position of the chair, abuts a stop pin 122 provided on stoplink 106 to effectively lock the leg-rest against retraction.

A bottom edge portion located adjacent the rearward end of riser link100 is designated as the secondary stop surface and is numbered 124.This stop surface, in the fully-reclined position of the chair, abutsoffset ilange 28 of mounting plate 26 to preclude reclination of thebodysupporting unit beyond the said fully-reclined position.

The forwardmost bottom edge portion of riser link 100 is designated asthe tertiary stop surface and is numbered 126. This stop surface, in thefully-upright or sitting position of the chair, abuts offset flange 28of mounting plate 26 to preclude movement of the bodysupporting unitbeyond the said fully-upright or sitting position.

The rearwardmost bottom edge portion of riser link 100 is designated asthe quaternary stop surface and is numbered 12S. This stop surface, inthe fully-upright or sitting position of the chair, abuts stop pin 122on stop link 106 to preclude reclining movement of the bodysupportingunit with the leg-rest retracted.

When the chair is in fully-upright or sitting position with leg-rest 34retracted, major leg-rest element 36 being positioned iiush with theforward face of seat 14 and minor leg-rest element 3S being disposedrearwardly thereof, tertiary stop portion 126 of riser link 100 will beobserved to rest on oiiset iange 28 and quaternary stop portion 128 toabut stop pin 122 on stop link 106. From this position, it is possiblefor the chair occupant to move to an intermediate reciined position, bycausing a rearwardly-directed component of force to bear upon backrest16 in manner to cause the body-supporting unit to move in asubstantially rearward direction causing stop link 106 to pivot relativeto mounting plate to move stop pin 122 out of abutment with quaternarystop portion 12S permitting the leg-rest to be extended, with lifterlink 40 and control plate 42 swinging upon their respective pivots toset up concomitant swinging movement of rst and second long links 46 and60 all whereby major legrest element support plate 68 and major leg-restelement 33 are motivated into the extendedgenerally-horizontallydisposed position.

Similarly, rotation of the first and second long Vlinks imparts acorresponding rotation to lifter link 50 whereby primary and secondarycontrol links 74 and $2 are moved forwardly and outwardly to urge minorleg-rest element support plate 73 to pivot relative to major leg-restelement support plate 68.

A smooth swinging motion of the minor leg-rest element support plate isassured by the constraining action of secondary control link 82 onforward movement of primary control link 74 as it urges the minorleg-rest element support plate into axial alignment with the majorleg-rest element support plate, all wherewith the major and minorleg-rest elements are disposed in axial alignment as to each other whenthe chair is in a semi-reclined position, as in FIG. 2, or is in afully-reclined position, as in FIG. 3.

In such leg-rest extending movement sequence, riser link has not changedits generally-horizontal position and tertiary stop surface 126continues to rest on olfset iiange 2S even though leg-rest 34 is nowfully-extended, with stop surface 96 of control plate 42 abutting stop93 on first long link 46 to preclude further leg-rest eXtension, androller 112 on stop link 106 now contacting the iiat upper surface ofrocker base 18 to preclude rocking of the body-supporting unit relativeto said rocker base.

To reach fully-reclined position from a semi-reclined position, thechair occupant need but once again bring additional rearward pressure tobear upon back-rest 16 whereupon the forward end of riser link 100 willbe urged upwardly by pivot link 40 through the pivotal connection 102 tocause the riser link to swing on its pivotal connection 104 withmounting plate 26.

Such movement of riser link 100 brings secondary stop surface 124 intocontact with the offset ilange 2S of the mounting plate to stop furtherreclining movement of the body-supporting unit and brings primary stopsurface into contact with stop pin 122 to preclude retraction of theleg-rest while the body-supporting unit is in the fully-reclinedposition.

In addition, roller 112 continues to abut the iiat upper surface ofrocker base l to preclude rocking of the bodysupporting unit.

The occupant may return the chair from fully-reclined to semi-reclinedposition or intermediate position, with the leg-rest remaining extended,by exerting a slight downward pressure upon seat 14, or simply bybringing the shoulders away from the back-rest of the chair, causingriser link 100 to swing upon the pivotal connection 104 whereupontertiary stop portion 126 thereof moves into abutment with oifset iiange28 of mounting plate 26 and primary stop portion 120 thereof moves outof abutment with stop pin 122 desired.

On returning to the intermediate reclining position of FIG. 2 from thefully-reclined position of FIG. 3, roller 112 maintains itssubstantially downwardly extended position, wherefor the body-supportingunit has maintained a xed relationship to the rocker base.

On return from the FIG. 2 position to the upright or rocking position ofFIG. 1, roller 112 rolls along the base 18 and then is swung upwardlyaway from the rocker base to its retracted position rearwardly of rocker20 whereupon rocking movement of the body-supporting unit relative tothe rocker base once again becomes possible.

I claim:

1. In a rocker-recliner chair inclusive of a rocker base and a chassismounted thereupon and a body-supporting unit including a back-rest and aseat rockable relative to the base and shiftable relative to the chassisbetween a primary upright sitting position and a multiplicity ofsecondary reclining positions, the improvement in position-attainingmeans comprising: a leg-supporting means, a linkage system forsupporting the body-supporting unit in its shifting movements and formounting said legsupporting means relative to the body-supporting unitand for moving said leg-supporting means between retracted positionadjacent the seat of the body-supporting unit and projected positionforwardly thereof and distantly therefrom coordinately with the shiftingmovements of the body-supporting unit and including a riser linkpivotally interconnecting said leg-supporting means and the base and thebody-supporting unit, means cooperant with said body-supporting unit andincluding a stop link responsive to movement of said body-supportingunit and a roller permitting retraction of the leg-rest if carried bysaid stop link and rollable into bearing contact upon the rocker base asthe body-supporting unit is shifted relative to the chassis foreffecting preclusion of the rocking of the chassis in any secondaryposition of the body-supporting sub-assembly, and a plurality of stopportions on said riser link selectively engageable with the rocker baseand with the stop link for controlling movement of the leg-supportingmeans and for limiting movement of the body-supporting unit.

2. In a rocker-recliner chair according to claim 1, wherein the stopportions on said riser link comprisea rst pair of stop portions thereonselectively engageable with the base for limiting movement of thebody-supporting unit and a second pair of stop portions thereonselectively engageable with the stop link for controlling movement ofthe leg-supporting means.

3. In a rocker-recliner chair according to claim 1, including controlmeans operatively connected to said linkage system and to thebody-supporting unit for controlling the ease of movement of theleg-supporting means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,093,409 6/1963Fletcher 297-261 X 3,141,700 7/ 1964 Fletcher 297-271 3,162,483 12/1964Fletcher 297-89 3,163,464 12/1964 Martin et al 297-271 X 3,166,353l/l965 R 297-83 X 3,233,938 2/1966 Fletcher 297-87 FRANK B. SHERRY,Primary Examiner. JAMES T. MCCALL, Examiner.

1. IN A ROCKER-RECLINER CHAIR INCLUSIVE OF A ROCKER BASE AND A CHASSISMOUNTED THEREUPON AND A BODY-SUPPORTING UNIT INCLUDING A BACK-REST AND ASEAT ROCKABLE RELATIVE TO THE BASE AND SHIFTABLE RELATIVE TO THE CHASSISBETWEEN A PRIMARY UPRIGHT SITTING POSITION AND A MULTIPLICITY OFSECONDARY RECLINING POSITIONS, THE IMPROVEMENT IN POSITION-ATTAININGMEANS COMPRISING: A LEG-SUPPORTING MEANS A LINKAGE SYSTEM FOR SUPPORTINGTHE BODY-SUPPORTING UNIT IN ITS SHIFTING MOVEMENTS AND FOR MOUNTING SAIDLEGSUPPORTING MEANS RELATIVE TO THE BODY-SUPPORTING UNIT AND FOR MOVINGSAID LEG-SUPPORTING MEANS BETWEEN RETRACTED POSITION ADJACENT THE SEATOF THE BODY-SUPPORTING UNIT AND PROJECTED POSITION FORWARDLY THEREOF ANDDISTANTLY THEREFROM COORDINATELY WITH THE SHIFTING MOVEMENTS OF THEBODY-SUPPORTING UNIT AND INCLUDING A RISER LINK PIVOTALLYINTERCONNECTING SAID LEG-SUPPORTING MEANS AND THE BASE AND THEBODY-SUPPORTING UNIT, MEANS COOPERANT WITH SAID BODY-SUPPORTING UNIT ANDINCLUDING A STOP LINK RESPONSIVE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID BODY-SUPPORTINGUNIT AND A ROLLER CARRIED BY SAID STOP LINK AND ROLLABLE INTO BEARINGCONTACT UPON THE ROCKER BASE AS THE BODY-SUPPORTING UNIT IS SHIFTEDRELATIVE TO THE CHASSIS FOR EFFECTING PRECLUSION OF THE ROCKING OF THECHASSIS IN ANY SECONDARY POSITION OF THE BODY-SUPPORTING SUB-ASSEMBLY,AND A PLURALITY OF STOP PORTIONS ON SAID RISER LINK SELECTIVELYENGAGEABLE WITH THE ROCKER BASE AND WITH THE STOP LINK FOR CONTROLLINGMOVEMENT OF THE LEG-SUPPORTING MEANS AND FOR LIMITING MOVEMENT OF THEBODY-SUPPORTING UNIT.